Man Up: Menswear for Women

When the sherbet-colored floral shirts and cropped pants from Miuccia Prada’s men’s collection popped up in her women’s resort presentation, the idea of ladies dressing in men’s-inspired pieces was taken a step further. Why settle for clothes that are just inspired by gentlemen when you can get the real thing? Stylist Marina Muñoz almost always tops off her looks with a men’s chapeau or a chic button-down, so we asked her to try the menswear collections on for size.

Slipping on a heavily embellished Dries Van Noten military jacket, Muñoz used lissom words like “elegant” and “beautiful” to describe heavy-shouldered blazers and sporty button-downs, and she held up pointed Céline heels to bulky, masculine parkas. Wearing clothes cut for a man requires a shift in perspective, and a lot of attention to proportion. For example, to transform Antonio Azzoulo’s camel shorts into cropped trousers, she paired them with high-heeled Tommy Hilfiger penny loafers. An oversize orange Jil Sander pullover smartly worn with super-slim, bright red jeans goes from bulky and blocky to a clever way to colorblock. Accessories like Prada’s silk scarves or Miu Miu’s delicately curved heels can also lighten up a masculine silhouette.

Although many designers who dress men and women anticipate the latter’s interest in men’s pieces and produce ample small and extra-small sizes, one thing that’s crucial to shopping in the men’s department is having a good tailor on hand. “Object Custom Tailor on Bond Street in Brooklyn is great for men’s suiting,” suggests Vogue Fashion Writer Chioma Nnadi, who recently had a men’s Lanvin blazer fitted to her petite frame. “A men’s tailor knows that if you raise the armholes for a slimmer fit, you’ll end up with a bit less fabric at the wrists. They know how far you can go with alterations.” Not to mention, reworking a men’s jacket so that it fits you perfectly is one sure way to keep your boyfriend from borrowing it.

See how Marina Muñoz styled her menswear looks in the slideshow above.